Magnet to Bring “Death” to U.S.

Magnet to Bring "Death" to U.S.

Magnolia Pictures’ genre label Magnet Releasing announced another U.S. acquisition Wednesday, picking up rights to Christopher Smith’s “Black Death,” starring Sean Bean (“The Lord of the Rings”). The film, which had its U.S. debut at L.A.’s Screamfest last week, took home several prizes including best director and best actor.

In the film, Bean stars as Ulric, a grim emissary from the Church, who leads a young monk (Eddie Redmayne) and a band of violent vigilantes and war veterans through the English countryside. According to Magnet, the group – armed with blood-chilling torture devices – are on a mission to stamp out suspected paganism in a village that remains untouched by the black plague, even as the rest of Europe grimly succumbs to the pestilence.

The film marks Magnet’s third major acquisition announcement this week, following André Ovredal’s “The Troll Hunter” on Monday, and Brad Anderson’s “Vanishing on 7th Street” on Tuesday.